South Korean Prosecutors Investigate Bitcoin Theft Scandal

The Gwangju Prosecutors’ Office in South Korea is investigating the theft of around 1,800 Bitcoin seized from an illegal gambling case. The theft occurred through a security key compromise during police custody in 2022.

South Korea’s Gwangju Prosecutors’ Office investigates the alleged theft of Bitcoin worth hundreds of billions of won, initially seized by police in 2022.

The investigation holds significance as it addresses security concerns in handling seized cryptocurrencies, lacking immediate market impact due to lack of institutional involvement.

The Gwangju Prosecutors’ Office is conducting an internal investigation following an alleged Bitcoin theft valued at 190.2 billion won. The cryptocurrency had been confiscated in 2022 during an illegal gambling probe led by the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency.

Finance records indicate that during the initial seizure, 1,476 BTC were stolen due to compromised security keys. Prosecutors believe phishing led to further losses while stored on USB devices, discovered during a routine check in December 2024.

“The investigation is underway and Bitcoin needs to be recovered quickly… It is not appropriate to reveal the details at this stage.” – Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office, South Korean Prosecutors

The alleged theft involves only BTC, valued at 70 billion won. No direct effects on the wider cryptocurrency market have been reported, contrasting with typical DeFi protocol impacts. The incident raises concerns about digital asset security in the judicial process.

Financially, this highlights potential regulatory and security challenges in handling digital currencies. While the matter might not affect day-to-day market performance immediately, the ownership implications are profound. Insights suggest stricter asset management protocols could emerge to prevent such incidents in future cases.